Aeroplane



Patented Sept. 28,1920.

3 SHEETS$HEET 2.

R. R. REED. AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 10.1919.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH R. REED, OF MORGAN HILL, CALIFORNIA.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed July 10, 1919. Serial No. 309,801.

planes; andI-do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to aeroplanes, and

J it relates more specifically to an improved propelling and guiding means, and an improved aeroplane inwhich its truck is reversible with relation to'its main body portion.

Another object is to provide an improved device of this character which is useful as a primary training device for students of aviation, also as an amusement device or toy.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character with flexible guiding means which permit limited upward and lateral movements of the aeroplane while continually resisting such upward and lateral movements and tending to hold the aeroplane in a level position and to return the aeroplane to its normal or straight path of movement.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is exceedingly simple, and which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, install and operate.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read the following details of description inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation illustrating my improved aeroplane and its guiding and propelling means, the dotted lines illustrating how the aeroplane may be deflected laterally by wind or by the operation of the aeroplane itself Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the aeroplane in its normal position and in a 7 position above normal, the dotted lines illustrating the latter position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view illustrating how the device permits the aeroplane to be deflected laterally, or in other words, this figure shows, in plan, what is shown by Figs. 1 and 2 in elevation.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a somewhat modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the modification shown in Fig. 4. v

Fig. '6 is a fragmental detail view illustrating the connection of the guides or guidingcables in the modified r'orm illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail view, in side elevation,

illustrating the details of my improved aeroplane more clearly.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the aeroplane shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view, the section being taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional detail view, the section being taken substantially along the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views, and in which the body portion 11 of the aeroplane may be of any appropriate construction, and may comprise the planes 12, rudder 13 and propeller 14:.

A truck 15 may be pivotally connected to the body 11 by means of a pivot 16, so that the main body portion of the aeroplane may be reversed with relation to the truck, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. A reversing lever 17 may be provided on the lower part of the main body portion, and a latch 18 may be carried thereby, said latch being engageable with a keeper 19 which is carried by one of the laterally extending arms 20 which is united with and constitutes an element of the truck. Eye members or guide-engaging members 21 are carried respectively by the ends of the arms 20, and guides or guiding cables 22' may either extend through and be movable in the eye members 21, as in the modified form shown in Figs. 41-, 5 and 6, or similar guides 22 may be fixed to the members 21, respectively, as indicated at the lower part of Fig. 8.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the cables 22 are substantially endless, each having its enos connected to the same eye member 21, while intermediate portions of. each cable 22 pass around grooved rotors or drums 23 which are supported in bearings 24 at the ends of a track 25. This track may be formed either of wood, earth, or any appropriate material, and the truck may roll along this track or rest thereon, and it may be driven either by its own motive power, through the medium of the propeller 1%, or it may be drawn along the track by means oi the cables 22. Any appropriate number of the cables 22 maybe employed, three being illustrated in Figs, 1, 2 and 3, so that if one or 'for they outer ones 0:? the three cables, as

illustrated in Fig. 5 in which case these outer cables will be made to pass through guiding rings attached to the machine instead of being fixed to the said machine as in the case when these outer cables are endless in form. It Wlll be seen that guide supports 26 support the ends of the-cables rbetwjeen. -Moreover, the-*Iniddle cable 22' 22. and hold these cables stretched there- 7 preferably has its ends connected to the front and. rear'ends of arms 27 which are fixed on the truck 15 and extend atfright angles to the arms20, and therefore, the

[middle cable 'is'also substantially endless,

; intended to limit this invention to ing device or-a toy, etc.

for the arms 27 may be considered a continuation of thecable. In this connection, it should beimderstood that the doctrine otequivalents applies, and that it is not the use of cables as the elements 22 and 22, as wire,

cord, or other flexible and somewhat elastic guides -22 and 22 may beemployed, accordmg to whether this devlce is used as a train- W and 3, motors 28 or other appropriate means may be employed forrotating the rotors 23, and

In the form shownfin Figs. 1, 2

these motors may. be reversible, or one may going toward one end .to the track, but the body aeroplane may beturned by in be employed for rotating the rotors in one the other maybe employed the opposite direction,

Therefore, it will be seen that the truck 15 is always held against turning with relaguides adjacent tlon to thetrack25and the arm or lever 17, with relation to true-i so that the aeroplane moves forward whether or the opposite end of the track. F 10 illustrates the two cam surfaces 29 on the keeper 19, which raise the latch 18, so that the main body portion is automatically locked with relation to the truclr whenit has been reversed. 7

The dlstance between the rotors or supbe made within the scope of cables continually tends to draw the aeroplane into its normal path of movement.

Although I have described this invention very specifically, it is not intended to limit thisjinvention-to these exact details of construction and arrangement, but changes the inventive ideas, as implied and claimed. 7

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination 01 an aeroplane pro-- vided' with cable-guides, and guiding cables passingthrough said cable-guides and permitting the aeroplane to travel therealong while continually resisting lateral and vertical movements of the aeroplane, each of the cablesbeing supported substantially at the ends of thenormal path of travel of the aeroplane, said cables being sufficiently long and elastic to permit themto bevdeflected a considerable distance laterally and verti- 'callyof the said normal path fwhile continuallytending to hold the aeroplane parallel to the earth (or level) and return said aeroplane tosaid normal path. f v

2. The combination of an aeroplane provided with cable -guides, guiding cables passing through said cable-guides and permitting the aeroplane to travel therealong whilecontinually resisting lateraland vertical movements of the aeroplane, each of these cables being supported substantially at the ends of the normal path of travel of the aeroplane, said cables being sufficiently long and elastic to permit them to be de: fiected considerabledistance laterally and verticallyof the said normal path while continually tending to hold the aeroplane level and return said aeroplane to said normal path, and means-including a cable to propel the aeroplane along thefirst said cables, said'means also being cooperative with the first said cables for returning said aeroplane to its normal path.

3. The" combination with an aeroplane provided with cable-guides, ofrotors, asubstantially endless cable extending around and movable longitudinally by said rotors, said cable being connectedto said aeroplane in such relation that it pulls said aeroplane therealong, and a pair of guiding cables passing through said cable-guides and permitting theaeroplane to travel therealong and be guided thereby while permitting .a limited lateral and vertical deflection of the aeroplane from its normal path of travel.

l. The combination of an aeroplane com prising a truck, a track on which the truck is mounted to travel, guide-supports at the and elastic to permit it to be deflected upends of said track, a guiding cable con- Ward and laterally While tending to return nected to and stretched between said guidethe aeroplane to said track. 10 supports and also connected to said aero- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set plane in such relation that the truck may my hand.

travel on said track and also travel above said track, said cable being sufficiently long RALPH R. REED. 

